I loved living with Steve. There was always something to look forward to. I especially loved the evenings when he had his friends over, and they would feed me stuff under the table. Things were going along okay until one day, I was wandering around the yard and Steve was swimming. I hadn't felt like swimming. I had smelled a squirrel, and I wanted to find it. I was careful about digging up the yard now, though, since I got in trouble for digging up what Steve called money. In my defense, it had smelled very much like the food Kamekona made, which was why I had dug it up to begin with. Danno had been furious at me. I did not get a treat from him that day.

Today, I was nosing around the trees looking for that dratted squirrel, so my full attention was not on Steve. I was farther from home than I was supposed to be, so that was why I missed the scent. When I heard the yelling, my ears perked, and I just knew Steve was in danger. I raced back to the house, barking. I could smell the bad man now, and it was strong. He was in there with Steve! I barked and barked, but the door was not opened for me. I had to help him. I went to the front of the house, still barking. What was going on in there?

Suddenly, the bad man went running past, and I growled and began to chase him. He shouted at me in words that I didn't understand. I managed to get a piece of his pants, but that was all. He was very strong. He was in his car and gone before I could really sink my teeth into him. I hurried to Steve, who was on the floor. Rusty smelling water was everywhere. I went over to him, nuzzling his face.

"I'm all right," he told me. I didn't buy it. He was in pain. He seemed annoyed that I was stepping into the stuff he called blood on the floor, so I retreated to a cleaner spot while he talked to his friends on the little box. After, he came to hang onto me, not saying a word.

...

"Okay," Steve said, looking at me. Junior had a hold of my leash. I could sense something was coming, and I knew I wasn't going to like it. I whined.

"I have to go away for a bit," Steve said, bending down to me. "Be good for Junior." He cupped my face with his hands, and I was sad. I could smell his worry and fear, and I wanted to go with him to help him. He rubbed my ears and gave the top of my head a kiss. When he stood and started to walk away, I panicked. I pulled on my leash.

"Sit, Eddie," Junior commanded. I ignored him. I kept trying to get to Steve, but he was fast. Once he was gone, and the door was shut behind him, Junior let me go. I leaped to the window, barking and whimpering. Where was Steve going?! He needed me. I know he needed me. I had to protect him. I raced around and around the house. Junior did his best to calm me down, but I would not be calmed. I couldn't be calm until I knew that Steve was okay.

...

I became depressed. When Steve did not return for ages, I thought he had abandoned me. I started thinking that maybe he died. I couldn't bear life without Steve. I needed him, and he needed me. Junior did his best to cheer me up, but I could barely offer him a wag of my tail most days. He had Tani come and look at me, and she tried to play Fetch, but I didn't move.

"What's wrong with him?" Junior asked her. She sighed.

"He's depressed. He misses Steve. I've heard this happens with pets sometimes."

"He won't even eat," Junior said, gesturing to my food dish. It was true. I sniffed at it, but I didn't feel like eating it. I could sense that Steve needed me, and I had to get to him, but I didn't know where he was. Anyone who came to visit did not have his scent on them, so I knew he wasn't around them either.

"Come on, Eddie," Tani coaxed. "Just one bite?" She held the bowl in front of me.

Sorry, Tani. I can't do it. I closed my eyes.

"All right," she said. I heard my bowl get set down again. "It's time to call in the big guns."

...

"What's going on?" Danno asked. I opened my eyes again to see Danno looking at me. I thumped my tail.

"He needs Steve," Tani answered. "He's not eating or drinking. He's going to die, Danny, if he doesn't see Steve."

Danno surveyed me carefully before heaving a big sigh.

"I'm going out there to see him anyway because I'm worried. I'll take him with me."

"I think that's a great idea," Tani said, relieved.

"Come on, buddy," Danno said, reaching for me. "Let's go see Steve, huh?"

My ears perked at "Steve." We were going to see Steve? I got to my feet gingerly, and Danno walked me to his car. I got in and sat in the seat beside him. I could smell a hint of Steve in the car. It made me feel better. Danno talked to me the whole drive, and I knew he loved me even though he acted differently around Steve. He pulled out a treat from his pocket, and I took it eagerly.

"There," Danno said, ruffling my fur. "See? You're eating again. Good job."

I thumped my tail on the seat and smiled. Of course I was okay now. We were going to see Steve!

...

I quickly learned that I did not like flying. First of all, they separated me from Danno and put me somewhere intimidating. There were a few other dogs, and they were not happy either. Secondly, I got sick from the motion. I felt bad, but I couldn't keep it in. I tried to sleep, but it wasn't working. I don't know how long I was in there, but it was long enough. When they came for me and took me back to Danno, I was exhausted, annoyed, and upset.

"You okay?" he asked me, letting me out of the crate. I wrapped myself around his legs, daring him to leave me again. "Whoa, whoa! Hold on." He untangled himself from me and bent down to pet me all over.

"I'm not leaving you. I promise," he said to me. I believed him, but when we started walking to the car, I still kept tight to his side, just in case. He let me stick my head out the window as we drove, which was one of my favorite things to do. The fresh air was nice after being stuck in that crate for hours. We drove for a long time, and I was beginning to think that Steve was never going to show up until finally we stopped. I had my head craned backwards out the window, smelling the horses that we had passed. I wanted to play with them, but Danno put me on the leash and led me towards a house. I instantly smelled Steve, and I grew anxious. Then, there he was. He was standing and using water for something. He looked up at us, and I barked gleefully.

"Eddie?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes, hi," Danno said. "I'm here with your dog."

Let me go, let me go, let me go! I pulled hard. Danno got the hint and released me, and I launched like a rocket towards Steve. I flattened him, but he didn't seem to mind. He was laughing and hugging and petting me.

"Eddie boy," he said. "Good to see you."

"Good to see you too," Danno added. I could tell he was jealous.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Steve asked him.

"I was worried," Danno answered. I didn't really like the bush on Steve's face, but I licked my way around it. Then, I smelled someone on him, someone that I hadn't smelled in a while. The smell got stronger suddenly, and I snapped my head up the same time Danno spotted her.

CATHERINE!

I sped over to her, nudging her hand with my nose and furiously wagging my tail. She petted me, but she seemed sad and angry and distant. Steve had also smelled sad and angry. What was going on?

"I didn't interrupt anything, did I?" Danno asked.

"What did you think you were interrupting?" Catherine countered. I caught a smell of someone else, and they smelled bad. I smelled pain and fear and more anger. I looked past Catherine to the room behind them. Steve was carrying water to it, and he went inside.

"Hold him," Catherine instructed Danno, who grabbed my leash again. We stood at the doorway, and I was surprised by what I saw. Steve was hurting a man in a chair. I was confused as to why.

"Okay. Come on," Danno said, pulling me away. We went to the house, and I knew Danno was also confused as to what Steve was doing. I sat patiently, waiting for Steve to come and see me again. I wanted to help him feel better. After what felt like a long time, Steve finally did come to see me. I trotted over to him. He still smelled really sad. I guessed seeing me did not help with this. I pawed at his leg.

"Hi, yes," Steve said, reaching to pet me again.

"What was that all about?" Danno asked.

"Getting information."

"Really."

"I'm doing it for Joe, Danny."

"I realize that, but just be careful."

"I am careful."

Joe? Who was Joe? I left them to their usual bickering while I wandered around the house. I could smell that someone else used to be here, someone older. I nosed my way into a bedroom where the smell was the strongest. I assumed this Joe person slept in here. He smelled like he had been a kind person. Don't ask me how I can tell that. I just can. I went back to Steve, and Catherine was there too. She was standing away from Steve, which was no good. I went over and gently started nudging her in Steve's direction. They were supposed to like each other.

"Eddie, what are you doing?" Steve asked, noticing. I stopped, looking at him innocently. I wasn't doing anything. "Danny, why did you bring him here again?"

"Because he was not eating or drinking or sleeping," Danno explained. "Junior and Tani were convinced he was depressed without you. He's cheered right up upon seeing you, so I concur."

"Okay, but he can't come with me on this mission."

"You just gonna leave him here?"

"I'll get Junior or Jerry to come get him."

"Or, um, I could take him back," Danno suggested.

"No. I need you to come with me."

"Oh. Okay."

I stopped listening. I didn't want to leave Steve again. Why couldn't he understand that? I gave up trying to get Catherine closer to Steve, so I went out the back door (which was so easy to push open. This house obviously wasn't dog proof) and went exploring. I went for a long walk. I knew Steve would find me when he was ready. I got to this very big tree in the middle of a field and sat down. It was peaceful out here.

"You lost, pup?" a voice asked me.

Who's that?! I whipped around to see an older man sitting there looking at me. He had a bush like Steve's on his face, and he had no bush on top of his head. His eyes were twinkling as they looked at me.

"Seems to me you're being a bit naughty, running away from your owner."

I didn't run away. I'm exploring. That's different.

"Is it?"

Whoa...can he hear my...?

"Thoughts? Oh yea."

Okay. Now I was a little worried.

"No need to be worried, pup. I'm just here to make sure Steve is okay. I know you can understand that."

Could I?! Steve was everything to me.

"He's everything to me too."

I couldn't smell this person for some reason. I had a strange feeling something odd was going on here.

"EDDIE!" Steve yelled. Oh, it sounded like his mad voice.

"More like worried voice," the man corrected. Okay, bud. This was getting too weird. Stay out of my head!

"I was given a gift to be able to hear all animals," he shrugged. "I am dead after all."

Dead? That was a permanent sleep. I had heard of that. I had smelled it. I didn't like it.

"Eddie, what are you doing?" Steve asked, reaching me and standing before me. He did smell worried.

"He'll be all right," the man assured me. "He has you. And Catherine. Once he figures that out."

I know! I'm working on it.

"Good pup. Don't give up."

The man stood then, looking at Steve. His eyes were sad.

"Eddie, come on," Steve ordered. I looked back and forth between Steve and the man. Steve frowned, seeing me do this.

"What's wrong? Come on. There's nothing there."

Oh yes, there was.

"He can't see me, pup. You better get going."

And leave you here alone?

"I'll be all right. I promise. Just take care of Steve for me."

I will.

"Eddie," Steve said again impatiently. I started to walk away with him, but I looked back a few times at the older man. He waved, and then when I looked again, he was gone.

...

Junior came to take me home a few sleeps later. Then it was another long bunch of sleeps before Steve came home. He still smelled sad. Catherine was not with him, which really irked me. What did I have to do to get those two to lick faces and live together?

"How's he doing?" Steve asked Junior, setting down his bag and coming towards me.

"He's been really sad without you."

"I'm home now, buddy," Steve said, petting me all over. "I won't leave again for a long time. I promise."

You better not.

"Did you...?" Junior trailed off.

"Yea," Steve answered.

"Good."

Steve eventually went to the rain room for a bit before coming back smelling cleaner. We ate dinner together, and then we watched TV together. I couldn't really focus on the screen anyway. Never could. Then it was time for sleeps, and I cuddled in with him because he allowed me to. I knew he missed this Joe person. I had put it together that the man I saw who said he was dead had to have been Joe himself. I could see why Steve missed him. He seemed really nice. I knew it would be a while before Steve felt okay again, and I was going to be right there every step of the way until he was.

Maybe it's unrealistic, but I just wanted to write that piece about Joe. I am probably going to start veering into AU territory during the next chapter, so stay tuned! I'm over halfway through season 9, so I have to see what's going on before I can really get going with the AU stuff. Cheers!